Ratchet lever drum puller

ABSTRACT

A ratchet lever drum puller having the ratchet toothed wheel integrally cast with the drum, and a reverse ring construction is disclosed. A retrofit or original equipment quick-lower mechanism works from the handle yoke and disengages the operating pawl to provide an arc of travel in the lowering configuration the same as raising. A cable guard is provided from a single sheet of material which also assists in preserving the helical wind of the cable. The cable guard cooperates with a cable guide to assist in securing the former, and to deter improper positioning of the dead-end hook on the cable guide.

[ 51 June 27, 1972 United States Patent Profet [54] RATCHET LEVER DRUM PULLER [72] inventor:

3,139,268 6/1964 3,163,399 12/1964 Skerry 3,248,087 4/1966 Hallen Anthony G. Profet, Charlotte, N .C.

Duff-Norton Company, Inc., Charlotte, NC.

Jan. 14, 1970 [73] Assignee:

Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Hom sby 'AttorneyDomiriik, Knechtel & Godula [22] Filed:

[21] Appl. No.: 2,895

and a reverse ring construction is disclosed. A retrofit or original equipment quick-lower mechanism works from the handle yoke and disengages the operating pawl to provide an arc of travel in the lowering configuration the same as raising. A cable guard is provided from a single sheet of material which also assists in preserving the s1 lnt.Cl.................

[58] Field of Search References Cited UNlT ED STATES PATENTS helical wind of the cable. The cable guard cooperates with a 9/1916 Golden.,.......................

254/157 cable guide to assist in securing the former, and to deter improper positioning of the dead-end hook on the cable guide.

12 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures 7 use. meme 00h CCU 3 3 9 1 1 1 PATENTEDJUH 27 m2 SHEET 1 BF 5 FIG. 1

INI /ENTOR Anthony G. Profer ATTYS.

PATENTEBJUHN m2 SHEET 2 or 5 INVENTOR Anthony 6. Profef M M ATTYS.

PATEPHEDJum m2 SHEET 3 BF 5 FIG. 4

IN ENTOR Anthony 'G. Profei PATENTEDJM? m2 3,672,637

saw u 0F 5 INVEN Anthony G. Pr

ATTYS.

Plum-mam? m2 3,672,637

SHEET 5 BF 5 FIG. 11

FIG. 13

INVENTOR Anthony G. Profer OM flzJ/kf ATTYS.

RATCIIET LEVER DRUM PULLER BACKGROUND OF INVENTION AND OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES The present invention relates to a ratchet lever drum puller which finds utility both as a wire rope puller and a web type puller. Heretofore pullers have been manufactured which have a variety of complex controls. invariably the controls are oriented within the housing of the puller, and thus safety in operation by preventing the fingers of the operator from getting close to the teeth of the ratchet wheel is not achieved. Furthermore, in the ratchet lever drum puller of the type employed in the prior art a combination of free-chain, quickrelease, and quick-lower are seldom achieved with a simplicity of controls, the same being susceptible of addition in the field. Additionally because the devices currently employed do not use a reverse ring, the standard operating arc or swing of the handle cannot be oriented in its most favorable position which would be remote from the cable thereby permitting the operator to employ his hand effort in a position as remote as possible fromthe load. I

In view of the foregoing, it is one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a ratchet lever drum puller in which a reverse ring is employed to insure operation in that segment of the ratcheting of the lever parallel with and remote from the load line. A correlated object includes the provision of selective positioning of the operating lever so that a lower orientation can be achieved where the top of the puller is hooked directly to an overhead obstruction such as a ceiling. Additionally, the handle is reversible to provide four positions for operation, highly desirable when the ratchet lever drum puller is inverted.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an optional quick-lower device which can be readily attached in the field and is controlled by a handle control remote from the interior portion of the housing, thereby reducing substantially the risk of the operators fingers being close to the ratchet wheel at the time of free-chaining, or selecting the quicklower position. A more detailed object of the present invention is to provide a quick-lower mechanism in which a yieldable wedging action takes place between the load pawl and the teeth on the ratchet wheel thereby insuring secure, maximum strength, and positive engagement between the load pawl and the ratchet wheel in the quick-lower position.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a ratchet lever drum puller in which, when wire cable is employed, shielding exists around the principal portion of the drum, for the twofold purpose of insuring a good helical wrap and shielding the cable from inadvertent finger contact.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide additional safety by orienting the holding pawl at the upper portion of the housing so that if the holding pawl engaging spring should be broken, a gravity assist in engaging the holding pawl occurs naturally and further prevents the dropping of the load in the event of a spring failure.

Even an additional object of the invention is occasioned by locating the reverse control externally at the top right of the housing which permits readily accessible and obvious orientation of the same, and puts the single control on the outside of the housing for normal raising and lowering.

The invention, in one aspect, stems from the application of a reverse ring to a ratchet lever drum-type puller, whether of the wire rope or web type construction. The reverse ring has a body portion positioned for rotation around the drum shaft, and extending in one direction in the control finger of the reverse ring, and flanking the same at angles between 25 and 60 are the control fingers which respectively engage the operating pawl and holding pawl dependent upon the position of the control finger with regard to the reverse ring control member at the upper portion of the housing.

A quick-lower mechanism may be installed on the operating yoke, and engages one of the control fingers of the operating pawl selectively lockingly positioning the same for full engagement with the ratchet wheel teeth or fully disengaged in the free-cable or quick travel position.

Additionally, the ratchet wheel is cast unitarily with the drum and is exterior of a peripheral pair of parallel flanges which guide the wrap of either the wire cable or web. In those application where a web is employed, a slot is cast into the drum and a reverse fold on the web receives a transverse pin which locks the same in a'precast recess within the drum. A drum shaft is pinned, keyed, or otherwise secured to the drum and passes through a box-shaped housing, and extends through the operating yoke member and journals the same with respect to the housing. I

The operating yoke carries the operating pawl, and means to receive a handle adaptor or a flattened tube handle. The handle is provided with a mounting position on the drum shaft, and selective pin orientations with regard to the yoke, the same being secured by means of a wing nut onto the drum shaft. The quick-lowering device provided on the operating yoke is in the form of a two position pin which engages a control finger extending rearwardly from the load pawl, which in turn is rotatably secured on an operating pawl pin which is transverse the open portion of the operating yoke. Selectively positioning the operating pawl results :in free-cabling or quick lowering action; or normal lifting action of the operating pawl.

Another aspect of the invention looks to a one-piece cable guard which surrounds the major portion of the drum. A reversely punched center portion permits pivotally mounting with a single mount on the holding pawl support shaft. The cable guard cooperates with a U-shaped cable guide to further secure the mounting of the cable guard to the hoist body, and in addition to block access to the cable guard as an unintended or carelessly chosen support for the dead-end hook.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description of an illustrative embodiment proceeds, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the ratchet lever drum puller illustrative of the invention showing the housing, optional handle, and suspension and operating hooks.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of the hoist in the same scale as FIG. 1, illustrating in dotted lines numerous of the internal features and also the optional quick take-up crank.

FIG. 3 is a view taken from the same elevation as FIG. 1 but showing in dotted lines more of the interior operating elements, including the standard load governor handle.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the interior of the hoist taken along section line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the control cam indicating how it is pivoted within the housing and showing the same in its engaged relationship with one of the fingers of the reverse ring. The same is taken along section line 5-5 of FIG. 3 and shown in an enlarged scale.

FIG. 6 is an end view of the drum illustrating the ratchet wheel portion.

FIG. 7 is a front elevation in the same scale of the drum as shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the upper portion of the drum in reduced scale taken along section line 8-8 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a transverse sectional view of the drum body illustrating how the cable is anchored therein and is taken along section line 9-9 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view of the operating pawl quick-lower adaptor assembly taken generally from the lower left hand portion of FIG. 4 showing the adaptor and plunger in transverse sectional view as well as the relationship between the operating pawl and the operating pawl cam leaf spring.

FIG. 11 is an optional view showing the drum in the scale as shown in FIG. 9 illustrating a web being used as the tension member.

FIGS. 12, 13, and 14 are respectively the front, side, and rear views of the cable guard showing in phantom lines diagrammatically the relationship between the drum, cable guide, and wound cable.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The basic organization of the illustrative ratchet lever drum puller is shown in FIG. 1 where it will be seen that a housing 11 of generally inverted box-shaped configuration (see FIG. 2) is traversed at the bottom by a hook bar 12. The hook bar 12 is provided with a suspension hook notch 13 to receive the dead end hook 37 (see FIG. 2). A generally'U-shaped operating yoke 14 is securedto a drum 15, the flanking drum flanges 16 of which guide the cable 40 as it is raised or lowered by being coiled around the drum 15. A ratchet wheel 18 is integral with and flanking one of the drum flanges 16, and by means to be described hereinafter, is operated by the reciprocation of the handle 19 and its associated operating yoke 14 to rotate the'drum in one direction or the other to raise or lower the load hook 39. Optionally provided, as shown in FIG. 2, is a quick take-up crank 21 which can be employed to rapidly raise or lower the load hook 39 particularly when the rapidlower mechanism 50 is employed.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 3, it .will be seen that a reverse ring 22 in the shape of a quadrant (see FIG. 4) is pivoted about the drum shaft and is yieldably urged by the reverse ring spring 24 into engagement with the control lever cam 32. In operation'as the handle 19 is reciprocated, the operating pawl 26, pivoted on the operating pawl shaft 53, engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel 18 and as the handle is moved downwardly, the .drum 15 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as seen in FIG. 4, and the cable 40 is wrapped around the drum thereby raising the load hook 39. When the bottom of the stroke is reached, the holding pawl 25 snaps into position in the most closely adjacent tooth of the ratchet wheel 18, and the holding pawl spring 28 yieldably holds the holding pawl 25 in position. At this point the handle 19 may be raised and the operating pawl 26, even though urged by the operating pawl spring 29 into engagement with the adjacent tooth of the ratchet wheel 18, bounces over the ratchet teeth until the upper portion of the stroke has been reached. The process is then begun again as the handle 19 is pulled downwardly, and the operating pawl 26 urged by the operating pawl spring 29 re-engages its most nearly adjacent tooth of the ratchet wheel 18, and the drum 15 further rotated in a counter-clockwise direction.

When it is desired to lower the load, the control lever cam 32 of the control lever cam assembly 30 is rotated by means of the control lever knob 31 as shown in FIG. 3. The flat upper portion or control lever cam flat 33 is then turned into a vertical position, permitting the control cam finger 34 to advance in a counter-clockwise direction as shown in FIG. 4, yieldably urged by the reverse ring spring 24 in that direction. This movement is sufficient to permit the holding pawl finger 35 of the reverse ring 22 to engage the holding pawl 25 and working against the action of the holding pawl spring 28, the holding pawl 25 is disengaged from its adjacent tooth. At this point, the handle 19 is raised and the load on the cable pulls the drum in a clockwise direction until the operating pawl 26 engages the operating pawl finger 36 of the reverse ring 22 and then rotates the reverse ring 22 against the action of the reverse ring spring 24 until the holding pawl finger 35 is released from the holding pawl 25, and then the holding pawl 25 is taken over by the action of the holding pawl spring 28 and the same is re-engaged with the most closely adjacent tooth of the ratchet wheel 18. At this point the operator will find that the operating pawl 26 has engaged the operating pawl finger 36 of the reverse ring 22, and then when the handle is lowered the operating pawl 26 remains disengaged from the ratchet wheel 18 until such time as the operator lowers the handle 19, and the operating pawl 26 disengages the operating pawl finger 36 and re-engages the ratchet wheel 18. In this rehand, upon raising the load by coiling the cable 40 around the drum 15, the load can be raised as much as three or four teeth on a stroke.

As will be further observed in FIG. 1, the handle 19 is mounted to the yoke 14 by means of a wing nut 64 and handle mounting stud 65 in the position shown. An extension of the operating pawl shaft 53 is provided, and is of comparable size and extension from the operating yoke 14 at the handle mounting 65. Thus to switch the position of the handle to a higher location, the wing nut 64 is released and the handle rotated about the wing nut pivot position approximately 20. Alternatively, if the handle is to be reversed, the end of the handle which engages the extension of the drum shaft 30 is positioned alternatively either on the operating pawl extension 53 or the mounting stud 65, and the wing nut secured at the opposite hole in the mounting handle 19. As will become apparent from the operation, any of the four positions of the handle can all be achieved, and the hoist operated, without the handle rising above the locus of the suspension hook 38.

When the quick lower assembly has been adapted to the subject hoist, as will be seen in FIG. 10, a quick-lower pin 51 is provided in the quick-lower housing 58 to slide axially against the engagement of the quick-lower spring and contact the operating pawl quick-lower finger 54. Thus when the quicklower mechanism is engaged for quick lowering, the operating pawl 26 is held out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 18 by means of the loading of the quick-lower spring 55, which overcomes the action of the operating pawl spring 29, the latter normally tending to maintain the operating pawl 26 in engagement with the teeth. With the quick-lower mechanism engaged the operating pawl 26 is out of engagement with the teeth and the maximum travel of the operating pawl 26 by reciprocation of the handle 19 is permitted.

In order to re-engage the operating pawl 26 into the teeth of the ratchet wheel 18, a pawl cam spring 60 is secured to the hook bar 12. As will be noted, a mounting bolt 61 is provided for this purpose. The pawl cam spring 60 is cantileverly supported in such a manner that it yieldably engages the front portion of the operating pawl 26 as the same rotates downwardly and wedgingly jams the operating pawl 26 into the ratchet tooth notch 62. This action overcomes the force of the quick-lower pin spring 55 and the operating pawl 26 is then held in position by its physical engagement in the ratchet tooth notch 62 assisted by the operating pawl spring 29. In this connection it will be observed that the ratchet tooth notch 62 is desirably provided with an undercut, preferably in the range of 5 to 15. Immediately upon raising the handle 19, the holding pawl 25 is disengaged from its adjacent tooth and remains disengaged until the operating pawl quick-lowering finger 54 and the adjacent quick-lower pawl finger engaging button 52 engage the operating pawl finger 36 of the reverse ring 22 thereby re-engaging the holding pawl 25, disengaging the operating pawl 26, and permitting the lowering of the handle to quickly traverse the arc back to the point of re-engagement with the quick-lower tooth notch 62 then presented for engagement with the operating pawl 26.

In summary, depending upon the number of teeth on the ratchet wheel, the load is raised three or four teeth advance at one full stroke. The quick-lower assembly 50, when attached to the subject unit, permits a three or four tooth lowering through the same are and the same number of teeth as the design accommodates when raising the load. Normal lowering without the quick-lower assembly 50 is only one tooth at a time, limited by the engagement and disengagement of the holding pawl by the holding pawl finger and the control finger of the reverse ring when the control mechanism is in the lowered position.

Free cabling, in a no-load situation, to move the cable 40 outwardly and rotate the drum clockwise as shown in FIG. 4,

may be accomplished by positioning the control in the down position, and manually releasing the operating pawl by holding the free cable control finger 57 whereupon the cable can be advanced. Alternatively, if the quick-lower assembly 50 has been adapted to the hoist, it is merely engaged to release the operating pawl from engagement with the ratchet teeth, the control lever then turned into the down position, and the cable may be freely removed orextended by pulling on the cable.

Finally, when a quick raise is desired under a no-load condition, the quick take-up handle 21 shown in the left hand portion of FIG. 2 is rotated and is secured sufiiciently to the drum shaft to wrap the cable or webbing around the drum by overcoming the slip action of both the holding pawl and the operating pawl. It should be emphasized that the quick raise or quick take-up is only safe in operation under a no-load condition with the tare weight of the load hook and its cable assembly serving to keep the cable in alignment when the hoist is normally suspended by the suspense hook.

Additional advantageous features include a cable guard 41 which is secured at its base (see FIG. 4) by means of the cable guide 42. The cable guard 41 then curves around the holding pawl mounting shaft 44 presenting a cable guard free end 45 at the lower front portion of the hoist. The cable guard 41 as shown in FIGS. 12, I3 and 14 has a center section holding pawl mount which pivots on the holding pawl mounting shaft 44. No other fastening means is required. The body portion of the guard 41 is formed of flat spring stock and shaped to squeeze the cable at the front of the hoist and the rear. This action assists in promoting a smooth helical wind of the cable 40 around the drum 15. The first wrap of the cable against the drum normally proceeds without difficulty. Second and third wraps are susceptible of fouling. The subject cable guard 41 is proportioned toyieldably engage the cable as the second wrap is developed. Its flexibility will accommodate a third wrap as well without extensive binding. In addition, the cable guide 42 is dimensioned to provide a center slot or guideway span less than the space between the cable drum flanges 16. The action is to constantly serve to center the cable 40 on the drum, assisted by the cable guard 41. The necessity for special cable ramps, grooves, and the like on the drum 15 is avoided. The further advantages of being able to use the same casting die with minor modification for the cable drum 15 as the web drum 70 is also obtained.

Finally, all too many hoist users may find the cable guide 42 a convenient place to hang the load hook 39. For example, viewing FIG. 3 it will be see that there could be a temptation to reverse the direction of the dead end book 37 and engage the cable guide 42, the latter not being designed to take the load. Such inadvertence is frustrated, however, as the cable guide engaging end 47 of the cable guard 41 is tapered and yieldably abuts the open end of the cable guide 42. Thus the access to the cable guide 42 to use it as a hook anchor is blocked off by the cable guide engaging end 47 of the cable guard 41.

Further noting the cable guard 41 as illustrated in FIGS. 12, 13 and 14, it will be seen that the top portion is reversely punched at the edges to define a holding pawl formed recess 43. As seen in FIGS. 3 and 13, the holding pawl formed recess 13 permits securing the cable guard 41 onto the hoist 10 by the simple positioning of the holding pawl mounting shaft 44 through the holding pawl formed recess 43. The free end 45 of the cable guard 41 and the cable guide engaging end are proportioned to yieldably engage the cable 40 (see particularly FIG. 3) in the manner described above, and to further assist in level winding the cable 40, the cable wind assist detents 49 are formed adjacent the point of tangential contact between the cable guide engaging end 47 to flank the cable winds and deflect the same centrally as the winds approach the drum flanges 16.

In summary, then, the cable guard 41 and cable guide 42 cooperate to shield the cable from fingers and foreign items, urge a good helical wind of the cable, interchange with a belt as a lifting element, and finally frustrate the operator from hanging the load hook 39 where it should not be hung. Since the entire cable guard 41 can be formed from a single piece of low temper spring steel, and reversely punched and formed at a center section to provide the holding pawl formed recess 43, the foregoing advantages are achieved economically.

The details of construction of the control lever knob 31 of the control lever cam assembly 30 are shown in FIG. 5. There it will be seen that the control lever knob 31 is secured by means of a control lever pin 46 to the shaft of the control lever cam 32. The cam flat 33 is shown horizontally in FIG. 5, the remote end engaging the control cam finger 34 of the reverse ring 22. The entire unit is held in position by means of a control lever spring 48 positioned between the control lever knob 31 and the wall section of the housing 111, and the pressure of the reverse ring spring 24 against the cam.

Additionally, as shown in FIG. 11, the drum 15 may be replaced by a web drum in which a web slot 71 is provided. The web is double-wrapped and stitched so that a loop 72 ap pears at one end of the web and a web locking pin 74 anchors the same in position on the web drum 70. Thus a hoist construction is provided which can be modified to use either a web 73 or a cable 40 in operating the load hook 39.

In review it will be seen that a ratchet lever drum puller 10 has been disclosed and described which permits ready operation with a handle in two positions, all of which are below the horizontal axis passing through the suspension hook 38. Three or four tooth raising and single tooth lowering is provided nor mally. A quick-lower conversion to lower as many teeth as with the raising arc is provided by the economical optional attachment of a quick lower assembly 50. Safety is insured by the quick-lower assembly 50 since engagement of either the operating pawl 26 is provided at one end of the stroke, or the holding pawl 25 is engaged at the other end of the stroke. The quick-lower assembly 50 coordinates with the balance of the operating portions of the hoist and may be omitted if its expense is not considered essential.

While the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments and applications, no intention to restrict the invention to the examples shown is contemplated, but rather to include within the invention all of the subject matter defined by the spirit as well as the letter of the annexed claims.

What is claimed is:

I. A ratchet lever drum puller comprising:

an inverted box-shaped housing,

a double cable hook engaging bar section across the bottom of the box-shaped housing,

a suspension hook secured to the closed end of the upper portion of the housing,

an open-ended U-shaped operating yoke,

a drum having parallel circular guide flanges at both ends,

a toothed ratchet wheel at the outer face of one drum flange having a diameter less than its adjacent flange,

means on said drum for securing a flexible tension lifting element to the drum for winding the same thereabout,

a drum shaft proportioned to pass through the drum center and secured thereto,

journal means in the housing and yoke proportioned to receive the drum shaft in bearing relationship therewith,

a reverse ring journaled on the drum shaft adjacent the ratchet wheel portion of the drum,

yieldable means biasing the reverse ring to urge the same to rotate in the lifting direction,

a holding pawl rotatably pivoted within the housing biased at the upper rear portion thereof by yieldable means to rotate in the direction of the reverse ring bias and proportioned to engage the ratchet wheel,

an operating pawl rotatably pivoted within the operating yoke adjacent the closed end thereof and biased by yieldable means to rotate in the direction of the reverse ring,

a control lever cam journaled within the housing at the upper forward portion of the housing and at a position between the holding pawl and operating pawl,

a control lever knob secured to the control lever cam and positioned outside the housing forward of the holding pawl,

three control fingers on the reverse ring within a quadrant thereof and extending therefrom the middle said finger proportioned to engage the control lever cam and'the other two fingers proportioned to selectively engage the holding pawl and operating pawls to sequentially disengage the same from the ratchet wheel teeth,

and a handle removably secured to the operating yoke in four selective positions,

the mounting means for the handle being spaced to provide one position in line with the axis of the drum shaft and the axis of the operating pawl shaft and an alternate position located in alignment with the drum shaft axis and a stud axis radially spaced from the operating pawl axis in the rising direction, the whole proportioned and oriented to permit full handle operating travel in an arc beneath the suspension hook thereby facilitating operation beneath limited overhead clearance.

2. A ratchet lever drum puller comprising,

a box-shaped housing,

a double cable hook engaging bar across one end of the boxshaped housing,

an opened-ended U-shaped operating yoke having a closed end,

a drum having parallel circular guide flanges at both ends,

a toothed ratchet wheel at the outer face of one drum flange having a diameter less than its adjacent flange,

means on said drum for securing a flexible tension lifting element to the drum for winding the same thereabout,

a drum shaft proportioned to pass through the drum center and secured thereto,

journal means in the housing and yoke proportioned to receive the drum shaft in bearing relationship therewith,

a reverse ring journaled on the drum shaft adjacent the ratchet wheel portion of the drum,

yieldable means biasing the reverse ring to urge the same to rotate in the lifting direction,

a holding pawl rotatably pivoted within the housing biased by yieldable means to rotate in the direction of the reverse ring bias and proportioned to engage the ratchet wheel,

an operating pawl rotatably pivoted within the operating yoke adjacent the closed end thereof and biased by yieldable means to rotate in the direction of the reverse ring,

a control lever cam journaled within the housing at the upper portion of the housing and at a position between the holding pawl and operating pawl,

a control lever knob secured to the control lever cam and positioned outside the housing,

three control fingers on the reverse ring within a quadrant thereof and extending therefrom; the middle said finger proportioned to engage the control lever cam; and the other two fingers flanking the middle finger and proportioned to selectively engage the holding pawl and operating pawls to sequentially disengage the same from the ratchet wheel teeth,

a suspension hook secured to the closed end of the upper portion of the housing,

a quick-lower adaptor to permit selective one or more tooth having a yieldable plunger at the end thereof, means for securing the adaptor to the closed end of the operating yoke,

a quick lowering extension finger on the operating pawl,

tion on one face of the operating yoke having a high position locating pm co-axlal with t e operating pawl,

a low position locating pin radially spaced with relation to the drum axis by at least 30, a handle, anchor means on the drum shaft extension to secure the handle,

said handle having a handle adaptor end with two spaced holes, one to receive the drum shaft and the other to selectively receive the locating pins thereby upon reversal permitting four handle positions with relation to the hoist. 4. In the drum puller of claim 3 a drum shield, said drum shield having a reversely bent loop portion defining a bore to slip around and secure to the holding pawl shaft, the shield portion extending around at least of the drum. 5. In the drum puller of claim 4 a cable guide comprising a U-shaped member, said member being secured to the lower bar section of the housing.

6. In the drum puller of claim 5 a free chain finger integral with the operating pawl and downwardly with relation to the operating yoke end and flanked by the sides of said yoke thereby shielding the same from accidental actuation while permitting ease of access by the operators finger when fee chaining'action is desired.

7. In the drum puller of claim 6, an operating finger on the control lever knob directed upwardly when the puller is in the load raising condition and downwardly in the load lower condition thereby giving a visual indication on the outside of the housing of the pre-selected control condition of the puller.

8. In the puller of claim 7 a quick take-up handle with means for mounting on the drum shaft at the end remote from the operating handle which permits rapid wind-up of the cable.

9. The puller of claim 8 when viewed along the drum shaft axis in which the holding pawl is in the 12 to 3 oclock position, the control cam is in the 9 to 12 oclock position, and the operating pawl reciprocates between the 6 and 12 oclock positions.

10. In the puller of claim 9 the control cam axis and holding pawl axis lying in a plane above and parallel to the drum shaft axis.

1 1. In the puller of claim 10 each of the reverse ring, operating pawl, and holding pawl being biased individually by a bent wire torsion spring, each working in the same direction, thereby preserving one function of each control element in the event of the failure of the spring of another.

12. In the puller of claim 11 a holding pawl balanced about its pivot for gravity inspired engagement with the ratchet wheel teeth in the event of failure of the holding pawl spring. 

1. A ratchet lever drum puller comprising: an inverted box-shaped housing, a double cable hook engaging bar section across the bottom of the box-shaped housing, a suspension hook secured to the closed end of the upper portion of the housing, an open-ended U-shaped operating yoke, a drum having parallel circular guide flanges at both ends, a toothed ratchet wheel at the outer face of one drum flange having a diameter less than its adjacent flange, means on said drum for securing a flexible tension lifting element to the drum for winding the same thereabout, a drum shaft proportioned to pass through the drum center and secured thereto, journal means in the housing and yoke proportioned to receive the drum shaft in bearing relationship therewith, a reverse ring journaled on the drum shaft adjacent the ratchet wheel portion of the drum, yieldable means biasing the reverse ring to urge the same to rotate in the lifting direction, a holding pawl rotatably pivoted within the housing biased at the upper rear portion thereof by yieldable means to rotate in the direction of the reverse ring bias and proportioned to engage the ratchet wheel, an operating pawl rotatably pivoted within the operating yoke adjacent the closed end thereof and biased by yieldable means to rotate in the direction of the reverse ring, a control lever cam journaled within the housing at the upper forward portion of the housing and at a position between the holding pawl and operating pawl, a control lever knob secured to the control lever cam and positioned outside the housing forward of the holding pawl, three control fingers on the reverse ring within a quadrant thereof and extending therefrom the middle said finger proportioned to engage the control lever cam and the other two fingers proportioned to selectively engage the holding pawl and operating pawls to sequentially disengage the same from the ratchet wheel teeth, and a handle removably secured to the operating yoke in four selective positions, the mounting means for the handle being spaced to provide one position in line with the axis of the drum shaft and the axis of the operating pawl shaft and an alternate position located in alignment with the drum shaft axis and a stud axis radially spaced from the operating pawl axis in the rising direction, the whole proportioned and oriented to permit full handle operating travel in an arc beneath the suspension hook thereby facilitating operation beneath limited overhead clearance.
 2. A ratchet lever drum puller comprising, a box-shaped housing, a double cable hook engaging bar across one end of the box-shaped housing, an opened-ended U-shaped operating yoke having a closed end, a drum having parallel circular guide flanges at both ends, a toothed ratchet wheel at the outer face of one drum flange having a diameter less than its adjacent flange, means on said drum for securing a flexible tension lifting element to the drum for winding the same thereabout, a drum shaft proportioned to pass through the drum center and secured thereto, journal means in the housing and yoke proportioned to receive the drum shaft in bearing relationship therewith, a reverse ring journaled on the drum shaft adjacent the ratchet whEel portion of the drum, yieldable means biasing the reverse ring to urge the same to rotate in the lifting direction, a holding pawl rotatably pivoted within the housing biased by yieldable means to rotate in the direction of the reverse ring bias and proportioned to engage the ratchet wheel, an operating pawl rotatably pivoted within the operating yoke adjacent the closed end thereof and biased by yieldable means to rotate in the direction of the reverse ring, a control lever cam journaled within the housing at the upper portion of the housing and at a position between the holding pawl and operating pawl, a control lever knob secured to the control lever cam and positioned outside the housing, three control fingers on the reverse ring within a quadrant thereof and extending therefrom; the middle said finger proportioned to engage the control lever cam; and the other two fingers flanking the middle finger and proportioned to selectively engage the holding pawl and operating pawls to sequentially disengage the same from the ratchet wheel teeth, a suspension hook secured to the closed end of the upper portion of the housing, a quick-lower adaptor to permit selective one or more tooth having a yieldable plunger at the end thereof, means for securing the adaptor to the closed end of the operating yoke, a quick lowering extension finger on the operating pawl, proportioned and oriented to selectively engage the yieldable plunger, and a pawl cam leaf spring secured to the housing oriented and proportioned to yieldably wedgingly engage the operating pawl into ratchet tooth engaging relationship at the beginning portion of the lowering stroke.
 3. In the drum puller of claim 2 a handle adaptor plate portion on one face of the operating yoke having a high position locating pin co-axial with the operating pawl, a low position locating pin radially spaced with relation to the drum axis by at least 30*, a handle, anchor means on the drum shaft extension to secure the handle, said handle having a handle adaptor end with two spaced holes, one to receive the drum shaft and the other to selectively receive the locating pins thereby upon reversal permitting four handle positions with relation to the hoist.
 4. In the drum puller of claim 3 a drum shield, said drum shield having a reversely bent loop portion defining a bore to slip around and secure to the holding pawl shaft, the shield portion extending around at least 180* of the drum.
 5. In the drum puller of claim 4 a cable guide comprising a U-shaped member, said member being secured to the lower bar section of the housing.
 6. In the drum puller of claim 5 a free chain finger integral with the operating pawl and downwardly with relation to the operating yoke end and flanked by the sides of said yoke thereby shielding the same from accidental actuation while permitting ease of access by the operator''s finger when fee chaining action is desired.
 7. In the drum puller of claim 6, an operating finger on the control lever knob directed upwardly when the puller is in the load raising condition and downwardly in the load lower condition thereby giving a visual indication on the outside of the housing of the pre-selected control condition of the puller.
 8. In the puller of claim 7 a quick take-up handle with means for mounting on the drum shaft at the end remote from the operating handle which permits rapid wind-up of the cable.
 9. The puller of claim 8 when viewed along the drum shaft axis in which the holding pawl is in the 12 to 3 o''clock position, the control cam is in the 9 to 12 o''clock position, and the operating pawl reciprocates between the 6 and 12 o''clock positions.
 10. In the puller of claim 9 the control cam axis and holding pawl axis lying in a plane above and parallel to the drum shaft axis.
 11. In the puller of claim 10 each of the reverse ring, operatinG pawl, and holding pawl being biased individually by a bent wire torsion spring, each working in the same direction, thereby preserving one function of each control element in the event of the failure of the spring of another.
 12. In the puller of claim 11 a holding pawl balanced about its pivot for gravity inspired engagement with the ratchet wheel teeth in the event of failure of the holding pawl spring. 